Alternate research paths for MD/PhDs

[Choculitis]

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What sorts of research opportunities are there outside of the traditional academic route that are well suited to MD/PhDs? There's a lot on this forum about how difficult it is to get research grants and it's bumming me out about the idea of running my own lab and being the one solely responsible for getting grants.

Is it possible for a clinician to also work in industry (i.e. as a research advisor for a biotech company or something) or to run a lab along with a basic science prof who is the one responsible for getting grants?

Hopefully this makes sense—basically I'm trying to get an idea of what else is out there for doctors who want to be involved in basic science research but don't want to spend all their time fighting for grants.

 

[geeyouknit]

What sorts of research opportunities are there outside of the traditional academic route that are well suited to MD/PhDs? There's a lot on this forum about how difficult it is to get research grants and it's bumming me out about the idea of running my own lab and being the one solely responsible for getting grants.

Is it possible for a clinician to also work in industry (i.e. as a research advisor for a biotech company or something) or to run a lab along with a basic science prof who is the one responsible for getting grants?

Hopefully this makes sense—basically I'm trying to get an idea of what else is out there for doctors who want to be involved in basic science research but don't want to spend all their time fighting for grants.

While unsuccessfully trying to get an internship with a biotech firms, I know that MD/PhDs do do work with those kinds of companies. You'll find a lot of them in small pharmaceutical start-ups as well. From what their description says, it seems like they split clinical work in a hospital and research work in the company.

 

[Choculitis]

Anyone else have any thoughts on this or know someone who does this?

 

[ablavar]

Absolutely possible. I know of one person from my lab who completed the dual degree and now works with GE as a consultant for their MRI division.

I would imagine graduates of these programs would be frowned at if they didn't enter academic medicine, and I'm not sure how well the sentiment would be taken in an interview. But physician-scientists are extremely valuable in industry.

 

[MSTPlease]

I would imagine graduates of these programs would be frowned at if they didn't enter academic medicine, and I'm not sure how well the sentiment would be taken in an interview. But physician-scientists are extremely valuable in industry.

definitely do not go into interviews talking about aspirations of going into biotech. I think it would be ok to say you're open to the idea of it.

FYI, military research is also an option. I met an MD/PhD at a conference once who after doing his training (both school and residency) he went into the military where it's really easy to become an officer and then you don't need NIH funding since you have DoD funding. The downside is that you might have to work overseas and of course, have much less flexibility in your work.